Masculine Nouns in -а / -о
Masculine Nouns in a and O
добар татко (a good father), нашиот колега (our colleague): these are masculine words, even with -о and -а. The article matches the ending: таткото, колегата.
How It Works
Common nouns:
- in -а: судија (judge), колега (colleague), слуга (servant), and names such as Никола, Андреја, Илија
- in -о: татко (father), дедо (grandfather), чичко (uncle), вујко (uncle), and names such as Марко
Masculine agreement: добар татко, нов колега, Колегата е нов., овој судија, мојот дедо.
The article: the ending decides it, as with other nouns ending in a vowel: судијата, колегата (-та after -а) and таткото, дедото (-то after -о). An article in -та does not make the noun feminine. When an adjective comes first, the article moves to the adjective in its masculine form: стариот колега, добриот судија (see членот на првиот збор).
Plurals: колеги, судии; family words take -вци: татковци, дедовци, чичковци.
Family words with short possessives: татко ми (my father), дедо ти (your grandfather), with no article; see мајка ми; брат ми. A female colleague is a колешка (see женски форми: -ка; -ица).
Examples (6)
- Мојот татко е доктор.
My father is a doctor.
Word by Word: My-the father is doctor.
- Новиот колега е од Струга.
The new colleague is from Struga.
Word by Word: New-the colleague is from Struga.
The article goes on the adjective, in its masculine form новиот.
- Судијата беше многу строг.
The judge was very strict.
Word by Word: Judge-the was very strict.
Судијата ends in -та, but the adjective строг is masculine.
- Дедото седеше пред куќата.
The grandfather was sitting in front of the house.
Word by Word: Grandfather-the sat before house-the.
- Никола е многу висок.
Nikola is very tall.
Word by Word: Nikola is very tall.
Никола ends in -а, but the adjective висок is masculine.
- Овој колега зборува англиски.
This colleague speaks English.
Word by Word: This colleague speaks English.
Common Mistakes
Treating колега as feminine because of its ending.
Мојата колега Петар е од Битола.Мојот колега Петар е од Битола.Колега names a man, so possessives and adjectives are masculine. A female colleague is a колешка.
Using a feminine adjective with татко.
Тој е добра татко.Тој е добар татко.Татко is masculine, so the adjective takes its masculine form добар.
Adding the consonant article -от to a noun in -о.
Таткот работи во банка.Таткото работи во банка.Nouns ending in -о take -то: таткото, дедото.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Masculine nouns in -а and -о need the article and agreement.
Related Patterns
- Feminine Nouns in -аFeminine Nouns Ending in a
Most nouns in -а are feminine. Судија and колега are exceptions because they name men.
Level 1 - The Article on the First Word
When an adjective comes first, it carries the masculine article: стариот колега.
Level 2 - мајка ми / брат миFamily Words with Short Possessives
Family words such as татко and дедо often take a short possessive: татко ми.
Level 2 - Feminine Forms in -ка / -ицаFeminine Job Titles
Колешка is the feminine form of колега.
Level 3 - Noun Gender
For these nouns, meaning rather than ending decides the gender.
Level 1
Practice Masculine Nouns in -а / -о in Bubblegum
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